Friday, April 22, 2011

Easter Seminary Devotional 2011

Today Brady has his Easter Seminary Devotional. I got carried away with all the FUN stuff. Sugar cookies of course with "He Lives" on them.  
 Then I gave them a bag of a few treats. I found some really cute little plastic cups that were on sale for 40 cents each and thought they would be perfect for an empty egg. The empty egg represents the empty tomb - He is not here, He is risen"
 I put it together with a bunny, 2 sixlets, bubbles and a book mark.
Here are all of them.

This is what he will say, taken from President Monson's talk in April 2011 Ensign:

As the mortal mission of the Savior of the world drew to its close. A last supper with His Apostles took place in an upper room. Ahead lay Gethsemane and Calvary’s cross.

No mere mortal can conceive the full import of what Christ did for us in Gethsemane. He Himself later described the experience:  In D&C 19:18 “[The] suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit.”

Following the agony of Gethsemane, now drained of strength, He was seized by rough, crude hands and taken before Annas, Caiaphas, Pilate, and Herod. He was accused and cursed. Vicious blows further weakened His pain-racked body. Blood ran down His face as a cruel crown fashioned of sharp thorns was forced onto His head, piercing His brow. And then once again He was taken to Pilate, who gave in to the cries of the angry mob: “Crucify him, crucify him.”

He was scourged with a whip into whose multiple leather strands sharp metals and bones were woven. Rising from the cruelty of the scourge, with stumbling steps He carried His own cross until He could go no farther and another shouldered the burden for Him.

Finally, on a hill called Calvary, while helpless followers looked on, His wounded body was nailed to a cross. Mercilessly He was mocked and cursed and derided. And yet He cried out, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

The agonizing hours passed as His life ebbed. From His parched lips came the words, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.” Luke 23:46

A merciful death freed Him from the sorrows of mortality, He returned to the presence of His Father. For us our Heavenly Father gave His Son. For us our Elder Brother gave His life.

At the last moment, the Master could have turned back. But He did not. He passed beneath all things that He might save all things. His lifeless body was placed in a borrowed tomb.

The angel spoke to the weeping Mary Magdalene and the other Mary when, on the first day of the week, they approached the tomb to care for the body of their Lord.

“Why seek ye the living among the dead?

“He is not here, but is risen.” Luke 24: 5-6

Our Savior lived again. The most glorious, comforting, and reassuring of all events of human history had taken place—the victory over death. The pain and agony of Gethsemane and Calvary had been wiped away. The salvation of mankind had been secured. The Fall of Adam had been reclaimed.

The empty tomb that first Easter morning was the answer to Job’s question, “If a man die, shall he live again?”

President Monson said: To all within the sound of my voice, I declare, If a man die, he shall live again. We know, for we have the light of revealed truth.

Bookmark: D&C 76:22 "And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That He lives!

I would like to bear my testimony in saying that I know Jesus Christ lived, and died on the cross, and that he opened up the heavens, and allowed us to repent for our sins, so we could return to our Heavenly Father. I know that He lives, and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

(To tie in the goodie with the devotional Brady will say when he hands out the bags:) At Easter there are bunnies, candy, and eggs. An empty egg reminds us that the tomb is empty, for Jesus has risen.

Happy Easter everyone!

4 comments:

Welcome to the Garden of Egan said...

You are an amazing mom. Brady better know what a lucky kiddo he is.

Welcome to the Garden of Egan said...

Oh, and I put my canorganizers together last night.........after some frustration.
I am in love!

Zoey said...

You over achiever, you!

CB said...

So cute!! I think you are the only mom who does this!

LinkWithin

Blog Widget by LinkWithin